Yoga
classes banned in central Russian city to check spread of 'religious
occultism'

Yoga
classes banned in central Russian city to check spread of
'religious occultism'

At
the center of the crackdown are two studios holding classes
for Hatha Yoga -- a set of asanas or postures involving deep
breathing and tough physical exercises, which as per Hindu
mythology was first practiced by Lord Shiva.

Close
on the heels of India leading worldwide International Yoga
Day celebrations, Yoga classes have been banned in a central
Russian city by the authorities to check spread of 'religious
occultism'.

At
the centre of the crackdown are two studios holding classes
for Hatha Yoga -- a set of asanas or postures involving deep
breathing and tough physical exercises, which as per Hindu
mythology was first practised by Lord Shiva.

Incidentally,
Hatha Yoga is the most popular form of Yoga globally, including
in the US, and a Russian Bollywood actress named Indra Devi
(born Eugenia Vassilievna) is widely credited to have popularised
it in the West more than 100 years ago.

Yoga
is known as an ancient Indian spiritual and exercise discipline
to balance mind, body and spirit, while millions across the
globe joined in spectacular celebrations to mark the first
International Yoga Day on June 21.

In
India, celebrations were led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
whose call led to declaration of this Day by the United Nations
and who himself performed various asanas and pranayams with
a record number of over 35,000 people.

However,
Yoga has become highly commoditised globally over the years
and various schools and cults have sprung up in different
parts of the world in its name.

In
the first major crackdown abroad, the authorities in the central
Russian city of Nizhnevartovsk have now asked the two Hatha
Yoga studies -- Auro and Ingara -- to stop holding yoga classes
in the municipal facilities of the city, as per the Russian
media reports.

They were reportedly renting out stadiums and public meeting
halls for their classes.

Kommersant
business daily reported that the Nizhnevartovsk officials
have barred use of municipal buildings for yoga classes and
have issued orders to the two studios on this.

The
Moscow Times reported that the order has been issued "to
prevent the spread of new religious cults and movements."
The authorities have also issued a letter to the heads of
departments for physical culture and education, stating that
Hatha yoga was "inextricably linked to religious practices"
and has "an occult character," as per the Kommersant
report.

Yoga
is said to be very popular in Russia.

Russia-born
Devi had learnt Hatha Yoga from an Indian Guru and was later
described as the "first lady of yoga". She went
on to teach the same to many in Europe and the US, before
she died in 2002 -- weeks before her 103rd birthday.